Explosion
by Chekers
Summary: 100 100-word Mello/Matt drabbles. The first 25 are up
1. Friend

Prompt: 041 - Friend

**Title:** Choice  
**Prompt:** 041 - Friend  
**Rating:** G

It took a while for Mello to relax and start to kind-of-maybe trust Matt, but even after they became "friends", Mello made it clear that he was the one calling the shots. Matt didn't care one way or the other, so long as Mello stopped complaining enough for him to level up.

When Mello left, Matt didn't know what to do. He tried to blame it on Near, but that never really worked. He finally decided that if Mello was going to do something entirely brainless and stupid, he might as well help him.

Because that's what friends were for.


	2. Aliens

Prompt: 062 - Aliens

**Title:** The M-Files  
**Prompt:** 062 - Aliens  
**Rating:** G

Mello was sound asleep when Matt burst into his room, babbling incoherently and on the verge of hysteria.

When Mello didn't respond, Matt grabbed him by the shoulders and began to shake. Hard.

_That_ got Mello's attention, and he punched Matt across the face. "What?!"

"There's-- outside! I saw them!"

Mello scrunched his face. "Saw who?"

"Them! You know! _Them_," Matt whispered frantically.

"..."

"WE'RE GONNA BE ABDUCTED! Can I stay here with you? You might scare them off. You know, being you and all."

"If I go outside, I had better see crop circles, or you are so dead."


	3. Betrayal

Title: Those Left Behind

**Title:** Those Left Behind  
**Prompt:** 095 - Betrayal  
**Rating:** PG

Things were different without Near and Mello around Wammy's House. To Matt, there just wasn't the _energy_ around. He attributed that to the loss of Mello.

He wished that he knew what the Hell had happened. That Mello, at least, had given him an explanation. Something beyond "I'm leaving". He wished that he could have fought Roger harder, followed him.

Because Mello was out there, without him, and that was unthinkable. He knew he couldn't follow, now; it was too late. So he immersed himself in his video games and regressed back into his shell and waited. Mello would return.


	4. Goodbye

**Title:** Goodbye  
**Prompt:** 025 - Goodbye  
**Rating:** G

They never once said "goodbye". "Goodbye" meant "the end". "Goodbye" meant "forever." At least that's how they saw it. When Mello left, he never offered the parting, pushing past Matt and storming out of the orphanage. Even though it took him a few days to realize it, Matt knew that that wasn't it, it wasn't the end; that Mello would be back, or he'd find him eventually.

When the explosion happened, after Matt had found Mello's badly burned body, he decked his friend one good for mumbling a weak, "See ya," against his shoulder.

He wouldn't let Mello say goodbye.


	5. Angel

Title: Mercy

**Title:** Mercy  
**Prompt:** 083 - Angel  
**Rating:** PG

_This is Hell_, he thought. _I've died, and this is Hell_. He couldn't lift himself up off the floor, forget standing. All he had the strength for was to make one phone call that he couldn't finish before passing out.

When he came to, he was back in his apartment, naked in his bed. He could hear the sound of medical tape ripping; pressure on his leg making him hiss in pain.

"Oh, God, you're awake." Matt. He leaned over him, and Mello had to squint for a moment against the light above, haloing Matt like some Angel of Mercy.


	6. Crazy

Title: Crazy

**Title:** Crazy  
**Prompt:** 064 - Crazy  
**Rating:** PG-13

His first reaction had been surprise. Then a small twinge of relief, knowing that Mello was still alive.

Meeting up with Mello wasn't exactly what he'd expected, though. Something was very _off_, but he couldn't place it. Something behind Mello's eyes, and the way he talked, and the fact that even with the chocolate addiction, Matt had never seen him eat quite so much.

Mello had always been a little touched in the head. It wasn't until they were reunited that Matt realized the difference between "slightly deranged" and "fucking crazy", and that Mello had definitely slid towards the latter.


	7. Invisible

Title: Third

**Title:** Third  
**Prompt:** 038 - Invisible  
**Rating:** G

Matt was nearly invisible.

He was entirely eclipsed by Mello alone, never mind Near. He knew people knew who he was; but more often that not, he was called "that boy", in reference to Mello. Like he was just another one of Mello's accessories. He didn't really mind. He didn't like people very much to begin with, he was too awkward for them.

When they left, he wasn't invisible anymore.

It was jarring and it was horrible. Suddenly, everyone knew his name, everyone wanted to be his friend. He left the first chance he got; slipping back into comfortable obscurity.


	8. Lust

Title: Game

**Title:** Game  
**Prompt:** 052 - Lust  
**Rating:** PG-13

Mello fights back as he's thrown onto the bed, already divested of his vest and his fly undone. He's trying to flip Matt over, but the redhead's not having it, pinning Mello's body under his with all his weight.

It's always like this, a fight for who gets to be dominant this time. When they're not talking circles around each other in an attempt to unbalance the other, they're ripping clothes, fighting dirty and bruising. It's how they like it, relishing in victory in a competition they can't really lose, and savoring the loss of control of a bad game.


	9. Name

Title: Trust

**Title:** Trust  
**Prompt:** 096 - _Writer's Choice_ - Name  
**Rating:** PG  
**Notes:** Spoilers for Mello's real name

When they met up, Mello broke the first rule they were ever taught at Wammy's House. He told Matt his real name. It was risky, and Matt was touched, even if he did think it was an extremely stupid move. Mello didn't seem to mind when he didn't return the gesture, the matter dropped entirely.

There was something intimate about it, about knowing. He had been trusted with information that less than a handful of people knew, information that, in this situation, could kill.

"_Mihael_." Whispered low, it was more sensual than sex and more meaningful than declarations of love.


	10. Voice

Title: Constant

**Title:** Constant  
**Prompt:** 097 - _Writer's Choice_ - Voice  
**Rating:** G

He spent most of his recovery in a medicated sleep to block out the pain. When he wasn't sleeping, he was very easily riled into aggression, taking it out on anyone nearby. He couldn't glare properly, he couldn't even sit up yet, but he could still yell and scream anyone into submission easy.

Eventually, that was taken from him, too, when he screeched his voice raw and hoarse.

It now hurt to talk, to move, and they had to keep moving to avoid getting found.

The only constant was Matt, and the voice that spoke for him when he couldn't.


	11. Babble

Title: Constant

**Title:** Incoherent  
**Prompt:** 054 - Babble  
**Rating:** G

Mello was well-versed in Matt-speak. When the redhead got particularly excited, he stopped making any kind of sense. Mello, in his infinite genius, had somehow figured out some kind of system to decoding this stream of incoherency.

"And then-- and then-- you know! It-- yeah!" _It was awesome, you should have been there._

"You--you... what-- I can't-- you could've-- I-- ARGH!" _I can't believe you did something so stupid._

It made more sense to Mello than when he _was_ coherent, because this nonsense was exposed and open, direct counter to the usual indifference and apathy, and couldn't be misinterpreted.


	12. Hair

Title: Perfection

**Title:** Perfection  
**Prompt:** 068 - Hair  
**Rating:** G

Mello is vain, and there's absolutely no getting around that. He always has been. You know how the shampoo bottles tell you to "repeat"? He is the _only_ one I know who actually "repeats".

I watch as he brushes his hair until it's immaculate. I can't resist, and grab him around the shoulders to hold him still while I muss his perfect hair up. The static causes it to stand on end, and Mello looks into the mirror, utterly stunned.

I'm running before he has the chance to hiss an angry "_Matt_...!" and fling the brush away to chase me.


	13. Cows

Title: Leather

**Title:** Leather  
**Prompt:** 073 - Cows  
**Rating:** G

Matt didn't like leather. Sure, it looked nice, especially on Mello, but it just wasn't something he could see himself wearing. Too clingy and tight, first off, but more importantly, it was rather morbid and disturbing. Every time he thought about switching to anything leather, all he could think was _y'know, I bet this whole set took, like, two cows to make_, and then he found himself putting it back onto the rack.

Not that he ever held it against Mello for wearing it; it looked good on him and it suited him, somehow, wearing the skin of an animal.


	14. Hallucination

Title: Illicit

**Title:** Illicit  
**Prompt:** 023 - Hallucination  
**Rating:** PG-13

He was still young, but that didn't make him inexperienced. He dove into the underground, and with it came all kinds of seedy "rites of passage", including drug use.

He remembers his first encounter with acid, how terrible a trip it was; he watched as Matt walked into the room. He was horrified when shadows crept at the edges of his vision, when he heard gunshots from all around.

Part of Matt's skull was blown apart, his chest riddled with bullets, and his corpse fell into a pool of his own blood. It was the last hit Mello ever dropped.


	15. Love

Title: Action

**Title:** Action  
**Prompt:** 014 - Love  
**Rating:** PG  
**Notes:** Spoilers. I'm not sure what chapter or episode.

Words were useless. Actions, actions, those were what mattered, especially to them. You could only trust someone as far as you could throw them.

They did trust each other a little more (about as high as they could pick the other up; that is to say, Matt trusted Mello more) than everyone else.

That didn't make it love.

Their actions were borderline sweet, a gift here and there, lingering touches.

That still didn't make it love.

When Mello got Matt shot, and Matt didn't spend his last breath cursing him to Hell...

It was a step in the right direction.


	16. Disturbed

Title: Screw

**Title:** Screw  
**Prompt:** 048 - Disturbed  
**Rating:** PG  
**Notes:** Spoilers for episode 25/Volume 7

Mello can be found in two states. "Pissed off" and "badass".

The emergence of a third state threw Matt off-kilter. The best way to describe it was "distraught." He was yelling and screaming, not in an angry way, and not about Near, which worried Matt.

He slumped against the wall, shaking. "Why'd he have to die?"

"Who?"

"_L_!" Mello raged, and the shaking got worse, as if saying it just rubbed it in.

Matt didn't know what to do. He supposes now that it wouldn't matter if he'd done anything, because L dying was the last screw to come loose.


	17. Innocence

Title: First

**Title:** First  
**Prompt:** 082 - Innocence  
**Rating:** G

For all the arrogance Mello exuded, he was in unfamiliar territory, and Matt knew it. He didn't really know what he was doing, either, but he was much more comfortable with this fact, and let Mello do whatever Mello wanted to do.

For the moment, that seemed to be "try and get closer", but physical limitations were hindering that. Given that they'd never actually seen anyone do this, they were on their own to figure it out.

Years later, when illegalities become everyday, Matt likes to think back and remember their first kiss, and that they used to be innocent.


	18. Hormones

Title: Hormones

**Title:** Hormones  
**Prompt:** 098 - _Writer's Choice_ - Hormones  
**Rating:** PG-13

When they were younger, it was easy to blame everything on hormones. He was a teenaged boy, and Mello was the only one he was close to. He didn't like anyone else in the House, not really.

So it was Mello.

Whatever.

He couldn't be bothered to be more bothered; that required effort.

It wasn't hard to hide, until one morning at 3 AM, Matt took things into his own hands. He let out a quiet cry of Mello's name just as the blond came barging into his room.

"--Wait, what?"

Damn those hormones. At least Mello wasn't yelling.


	19. Chocolate

Title: Taste

**Title:** Taste  
**Prompt:** 015 - Chocolate  
**Rating:** G

Something expensive, always dark.

Mello's preferred chocolate suited him, Matt thought.

You had to have a taste for it to like it.

Something cheap, always milk.

Matt always bought Hershey's, much to Mello's disdain.

It was beneath his refined palate.

Tastes and preference aside, sometimes Matt gets into Mello's stash, savoring the bitterness, the bite.

If there wasn't anything else, Mello resigns himself to Matt's convenience store crap, bland and smooth.

Because despite not having a taste for it, for all that it's beneath him, they know that sometimes, it's all they have, and all they have in each other.


	20. Sickness

Title: Apathy

**Title:** Apathy  
**Prompt:** 053 - Sickness  
**Rating:** G

Mello likens it to a sickness. It starts with one little thing, and then spreads if unchecked.

Matt used to care about the gossip that floated around the House, but he slowly receded into a shell.

He used to care about homework, but eventually found it too time consuming.

Then tests.

And then finally his place in line.

All of it sucked into the void.

Mello hopes that this plan will bring some kind of spark back into the hacker, but so far, he just does his routine and complains about being bored.

Mello fears this sickness has become terminal.


	21. Destruction

Title: Rivalry

**Title:** Rivalry  
**Prompt:** 018 - Destruction  
**Rating:** PG

It's going to destroy him one day, he thinks. This thing with Near, it's going to completely destroy Mello one of these days, he says.

Sometimes, Mello goes days without sleep, plotting and planning and ruminating. When his brain finally shuts down for rest, Matt's always there to catch him and take him to bed.

Lately, it seems as though he hasn't been eating, and nothing short of bindings and intravenous fluids can change that.

Matt pretends he's not worried. He doesn't dare suggest that Mello let things be.

Because Mello _will_ be the best, even if it kills him.


	22. Dagger

Title: Favorite

**Title:** Favorite  
**Prompt:** 001 - Dagger  
**Rating:** G

His favorite dagger was always kept sharp, even if it was hardly used. Plain, simple. Atypical. He loved it anyway.

Its weight was missed in his belt when he left it in his fit of rage and hurt. He'd even considered going back to get it on some occasions. He never did.

It was the very first thing Matt packed when he left.

It was the very first thing he returned to Mello when he saw him again.

It was entirely forgotten by the blond when he took in Matt-- sharper than any dagger and more than just as deadly.


	23. Memory

Title: Adult

**Title:** Adult  
**Prompt:** 003 - Memory  
**Rating:** G

They'd been followed. Before Mello could react, Matt had drawn his gun and shot the tailer fatally. All Mello could do was stare at his red-headed friend, see the differences.

Superimposed was a vision of Matt smiling brightly at the prospect of "hanging out" with the "new kid".

Superimposed was a vision of Matt trying not to cry when he'd broken his arm due to Mello's brilliant tree-climbing idea.

Superimposed was blushing Matt, the night he'd kissed him and left the House for good.

Matt raises an eyebrow under his goggles. "What?"

"Nothing," Mello scoffs, and the images fade away.


	24. Trace

Title: Adult

**Title:** Follow  
**Prompt:** 044 - Trace  
**Rating:** G  
**Notes:** Spoilers

Mello doesn't know how he's going to be able to go back to the apartment. Matt's surveillance equipment is still set up, his games are still littered around the floor, precariously close to footpaths.

Matt's blood is still spilled over the road.

Mello doesn't know how he's going to be able to get rid of Matt's things, but knows it must be done. He thinks of all the little things he'll have to throw away, traces of Matt seeped into everything.

His chest tightens painfully.

Mello hopes he's left traces of himself for Matt to follow in the next world.


	25. Confession

Title: Careful

**Title:** Careful  
**Prompt:** 070 - Confession  
**Rating:** G

"I can't believe the police blew up the building with their own people in it."

"..."

Matt's incredulous, shaking his head and muttering as he changes Mello's bandages, while the blond remains silent.

"Matt," he starts softly, receiving a sound from him.

"What is it?"

"I blew up the building. They knew my name. They had a Note."

Matt drops his game and stares, Mello giving the ceiling the same treatment. He knows what's coming next. Matt will try and talk him out of his plans.

"You're just going to have to be more careful, then," is the shaky response.


End file.
